Another Two-Book Post

Yes, indeed, dear internetfriends. I have once again read two books in two days. Well, mostly all today. I spent yesterday trying to remember all the chapter titles in the Harry Potter series, because I am a nerd and I found a quiz. (That was why the June 5 post ended up covering for June 6 as well - I was doing quizzes and realized it was after midnight.) But anyway, enough about me being a Potter-nerd, you know about that. I should tell you about these books. Because they're great.

The first, which I started yesterday and finished(/mostly read) today was MISTWOOD by Leah Cypess. It took me longer than I liked to get into it, but that was probably because it was eleven o'clock at night and I was being a Potter-nerd. It was excellent. I absolutely recommend it. Read it.

MISTWOOD is about Isabel. Isabel is the Shifter - the legendary creature formed from mist who can shift into anything and is sworn to protect the royal family. She is anything but human. Loyalty is all she knows. Her life does not matter. Only the safety of the king is important to her.

But all of a sudden, Isabel has emotions. After ten years alone in the Mistwood, not having served the previous king for a reason that Isabel cannot remember, she is called back to her duties by Prince Rokan, and this time, things are different. And when a disputed succession challenges everything she thought she knew about herself and her loyalties, Isabel has to determine what it really means to be the Shifter.

MISTWOOD was very well-crafted, and Isabel's character is so easy to relate to even though she's not human. The perspective was very different from the norm - we get the world through the eyes of someone not human - and it just makes you want to read more. Also, there's a lot of talk about the various relationships between people and what it means to love, but it is in no way a sappy romance novel. Like, at all. This is a great book, you guys. And if you'd like, after (or before) you read it, you can check out the author's website.

The other book I read today, over the course of a couple hours, was SCANDAL, the eleventh (yes, eleventh) book in Kate Brian's fantastic Private series. The covers are a bit of a deterrent, at least to me, because they scream designer labels and snooty upper-class relationship drama. And to be honest, there is a fair bit of that. But there is so much more.

There are mysteries. There are murder mysteries. There are stalkers (real-actual stalkers, not just "ooh I like him, let's watch him!"). There is danger, and drama, and death, and even a secret literary society. Which is the only hint I can give you about the most recent book without ruining a lot from the first several.

Start with the first one, PRIVATE, and just keep going. You'll want to. These books may not be heavy intellectual reading (they're what my dad would call "trash novels," honestly, but he says that about a lot of things), but they are fun quick reads and personally I enjoy them. I think they are spectacular. Even if I don't know all the brand names. You should read them. They're quite good. And you can even check out the awesome website.

That's all for tonight, you guys. I should probably work on my Eliza-story revamp (no pun intended) before KD eats me for leaving her hanging (even though she already knows what happens...). Catch ya later,
Bex